Su Xiao kept her eyes tightly shut, her entire body rigid as she curled into the corner of the rooftop, already prepared to be torn apart by the ghosts.

But the anticipated agony never came.

Just as she thought she was about to die, her arm was suddenly seized by a damp, heated hand. She was yanked violently away from where she crouched.

She had been squatting. The force threw her off balance, and she crashed hard onto the freezing ground.

That fall was what narrowly saved her from being ripped apart by the ghost that had lunged for her.

Su Xiao was dazed from the impact. Her mind went blank. Lying on the ground, she lifted her head in confusion.

Through blurred, tear filled vision, she saw a slender, beautiful figure fall to the ground in front of her. The person trembled as he spread his arms wide, firmly shielding her behind him.

She stared at the figure before her, momentarily dazed, unable to distinguish reality from hallucination.

Had her terror of death created an illusion?

It was not an illusion.

Someone had truly stepped in front of her.

The livestream audience had already believed Su Xiao was certain to die. No one expected someone to suddenly rush out and drag her away at the critical moment.

When the viewers recognized who it was, the barrage of comments froze for a split second—

Then exploded.

"Wait did I see that right? Is that the beautiful NPC? He’s saving a Player? An NPC in this dungeon is actually saving someone?"

"Oh my god how can anyone look like that? Is that even a face a real person can have?"

"He’s an NPC in a horror dungeon, he’s not even technically human. Whoever designed this dungeon character went way too far. How is someone that beautiful just an NPC?"

"If this were a real life game I’d grind it to death even if it was absolute trash."

"No wonder everyone loves him. With a face like that who wouldn’t? I’m literally stunned."

The person who had appeared—

Was Wen Ruyu.

When the sky began to dim, Wen Ruyu had already sensed something wrong. After hearing the dungeon announcement, his heart sank.

He pressed his lips together uneasily and looked toward the imminent danger not far away.

"System, we only need to survive six hours to clear?"

099 answered instantly, as dutiful and bright as ever.

"Yes, dear."

"Then I—"

Before Wen Ruyu could finish, 099 cut him off playfully.

"Based on your mutation level, dear, you probably won’t last six hours."

"In the previous mode, you could have endured at least three days. But not in Eternal Night."

"Eternal Night accelerates yin energy corrosion. It speeds up your mutation. According to system calculations, you can endure at most five hours and fifty minutes."

A mere ten minute difference.

Between life and death.

Between clearing as a Player and failing.

He could only pray the three Players would survive the full six hours.

But prayers were often useless.

The number of surviving Players dropped again.

And Eternal Night had begun less than an hour ago.

The Players would never last six hours.

Anxiety flashed through Wen Ruyu’s eyes. Seeing that Yang Ruiqing and the others were occupied, he immediately ran out of the cafeteria.

Students filled the campus in dense numbers.

They stared at him stiffly, greedily—

But none of them attacked.

Because of Yang Ruiqing’s yin energy.

Because of Yang Ruiqing’s mark and brand.

Fear of Yang Ruiqing was carved into their bones. No matter how greedy they were, they did not dare touch someone belonging to him.

Wen Ruyu let out a breath of relief and ran toward the direction the three Players had fled.

He had not looked at them directly before, but his attention had always been on them.

He had seen which way they ran.

Faster.

Faster.

Please, hold on.

But the Players had greater stamina. Even though Wen Ruyu exhausted himself, he could not catch up.

He could only watch helplessly as the count dropped again.

[Current surviving Players: 2/20.]

Only two remained.

One was him.

The other was a regular Player.

And he had no chance to clear.

Which meant only one remained.

Fortunately—

He finally caught up.

Seeing the ghost lunging at Su Xiao, Wen Ruyu did not hesitate. He rushed forward and dragged her away, crashing heavily to the ground himself.

He was completely out of breath from the exertion. Yet he still sat in front of her, trembling as he spread his arms.

The ghosts halted the moment they saw him.

They all stopped.

Their hollow eyes still burned with greed.

But it was not the same look they gave Su Xiao.

It was not the gaze toward food.

It was excitement.

Like seeing a beloved toy.

Yet none of them stepped forward.

They stood restrained and wary, staring unwillingly at Wen Ruyu.

Because of Yang Ruiqing’s yin energy.

Because fear was etched into their bones.

No matter how unwilling they were, they dared not advance.

Wen Ruyu exhaled sharply. He forced his weak body to stand and extended his hand to Su Xiao.

His voice was soft, almost moist.

"Are you alright?"

Su Xiao stared at the slender hand before her. Her gaze slowly traveled upward to its owner.

The boy was breathtaking.

His hair was slightly disheveled by the wind. His skin was nearly translucent in its pallor. The corners of his eyes were faintly red. His beautiful eyes were misted with moisture. His breathing was uneven from exertion.

Yet he stood firmly before her, shielding her from the ghosts, offering his hand gently.

Like a god descending under moonlight, pulling her from hell.

Not an illusion.

Someone had truly come to save her.

Su Xiao did not take his hand.

She simply stared at Wen Ruyu.

Tears burst forth without warning.

The fear she had suppressed all night collapsed completely.

She was saved.

She would not die.

Wen Ruyu understood that fear.

He withdrew his hand and sat beside her, quietly waiting for her to finish crying.

Nearly three minutes passed before she calmed down.

She looked at him, her voice still choked.

"Why… did you save me?"

Wen Ruyu thought for a moment and pressed his lips together.

"I was passing by."

She did not believe that. No one simply passed by a rooftop.

But she could tell he did not wish to explain.

"Thank you," she said softly.

He did not reply.

The rooftop fell silent again.

Only wind.

Only faint breathing.

Wen Ruyu did not dare leave.

The moment he stepped away, the ghosts would tear her apart.

Besides, there was nowhere safe on campus.

They remained seated on the rooftop.

The ghosts stood not far away.

They did not approach.

They did not leave.

Six hours.

As if by unspoken agreement, both of them counted time in silence.

Just endure.

Just endure.

But six hours was excruciating.

Wen Ruyu opened his Player panel.

He meant only to check the countdown.

Instead, at the bottom he saw another line.

[Mutation Level: 83%.]

He did not need the system to explain.

When it reached 100%—

He would truly become a ghost.

His heartbeat was slowing.

His body was growing colder.

His senses were dulling.

Fortunately, one regular Player was still alive.

If that Player cleared, even if he became a ghost, he could still clear as a Special Player.

But before the clearance announcement could sound—

A deathly, silent figure appeared.

Yang Ruiqing stepped onto the rooftop.

His aura was stronger than before. The temperature dropped sharply the moment he appeared.

The ghosts shrank back in terror and fled.

Clearly—

He had won the rebellion.

He was still the sole ruler of this university.

Wen Ruyu reacted instantly.

The moment he sensed Yang Ruiqing’s presence, he stood and instinctively stepped away from Su Xiao.

Yang Ruiqing did not glance at Su Xiao.

His lifeless gaze fixed directly on Wen Ruyu.

"Why did you save her?"

His voice was calm to a frightening degree.

Cold.

Dangerous.

As if a wrong answer would unleash something terrible.

Wen Ruyu’s heart pounded wildly. His slender body tensed.

"I didn’t save her. I was just… passing by."

"I was scared alone."

Yang Ruiqing appeared in front of him in an instant and gently drew him into his arms.

"Don’t be afraid."

"I’m here."

The moment those words fell—

An invisible force seized Su Xiao.

She stiffened.

Then began walking step by step toward the rooftop edge.

He had returned.

She was no longer necessary.

"Don’t!"

Wen Ruyu grabbed Yang Ruiqing’s arm instinctively.

"Don’t… don’t kill her."

Yang Ruiqing lowered his eyes.

"Why?"

Wen Ruyu knew protecting Su Xiao would anger him.

But if he did nothing, she would die.

"She’s just an ordinary person… she poses no threat."

"I don’t want to see you kill again."

Yang Ruiqing remained unmoved.

Su Xiao drew closer to the edge.

Less than ten minutes remained.

Just a few more minutes.

This was the last chance.

When persuasion failed, Wen Ruyu closed his eyes.

When he opened them again—

There was only resolve.

"Let her go."

He broke from Yang Ruiqing’s arms and retreated quickly.

Then pressed a small knife against his own neck.

Yang Ruiqing’s gaze turned cold instantly.

Wen Ruyu did not retreat.

Seeing Su Xiao still moving, he sliced his own wrist without hesitation.

Blood burst forth, dripping vividly from his pale fingers into the night.

Su Xiao stopped.

The world seemed to freeze.

Even the wind ceased.

The cut was precise.

He had severed the artery.

Yet there was no pain on his face.

He did not even blink.

Not because he was strong.

But because he no longer felt pain.

His mutation level had already reached 99%.

He was half a ghost.

He could not feel human pain.

Nor the loss of blood.

Even his human emotions were fading.

But his fear of Yang Ruiqing—

Was carved into his bones.

He pressed the knife back to his throat.

"If I die before fully becoming a ghost… I may not become one at all."

"I’ll die clean."

"Let her go. I’ll willingly become a ghost. I’ll stay with you forever."

Yang Ruiqing’s eyes were dark and dangerous.

He was not deceived.

Or perhaps even if he believed it, he did not care.

Anyone worth risking life and anger for—

Must be important.

Such a person—

Must die.

But he said calmly,

"Fine."

Wen Ruyu did not lower the knife.

He would only trust the clearance announcement.

One minute.

Fifty seconds.

Forty.

Thirty.

As he counted—

A blinding light burst forth.

The world shifted instantly from darkness to day.

His eyes shut reflexively.

Before he could react, his wrist was seized.

The knife was torn from his hand.

A dull thud echoed.

Something had fallen.

Wen Ruyu turned slowly.

The sun shone high in the sky.

The rooftop edge was empty.

Su Xiao had fallen.

The only remaining Player was dead.

Less than one minute remained.

Just one minute.

Everything was over.

When he had threatened Yang Ruiqing—

His mutation had already reached 100%.

There were no living Players left.

He stood there blankly.

Then—

The system’s cold mechanical voice rang through the eternal night.

"Ding—"

"Congratulations to Player Zhao Zihao for successfully surviving six hours and clearing the dungeon — Third University."

"Congratulations to Special Player Wen Ruyu for breaking the dungeon’s zero clearance rate and clearing the dungeon — Third University."

Chapter 43

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